


Robin's orders

by GraceEliz



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Batfamily Feels, Comfort No Hurt, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-09 23:41:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19486351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GraceEliz/pseuds/GraceEliz
Summary: Today is not the worst day to die.





	Robin's orders

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry, I guess.

Bruce could feel his breath rattling through his chest, and he had the feeling that the suspicious whistling he kept hearing was also him. He was in too much pain to assess whether or not there was a collapsed lung, but considering how this night was going it wouldn’t come as a surprise. Alfred would be furious. All in all though he felt that today wasn’t the worst time to die. The wonder that was his family would – surely, hopefully – survive a long time without him. Alfred would, well, not live very long perhaps, but at least Bruce was going out knowing he’d saved all that mattered to him, his world.

And also Earth, this world, which had seen today and forever that ultimately, Robins followed orders. Over the decades there had been far far too many occasions when a Robin’s disobedience got them harmed (on a few terrible occasions, killed) but apart from those few memorable moments they were obeying what was apparently the ultimate Robin law: always protect. The JL were the worst, initially, for making assumptions about obedience. They had assumed cruelty when they heard Dick’s young age, assumed a lack of emotion when Batman took on a new Robin after the old moved on, and Bruce didn’t know what they’d assumed over the years since. One thing they only assumed once was that they could give Robins orders.

That had been memorable, of not as dramatic as some younger vigilantes imagined it being. Robin’s order for the evening had been to shadow Batman to learn about the League and how the people in it functioned. After all, he would one day lead it (that day was upon them, the deep ache in every one of Bruce’s bones told him). Wonder Woman had been the most accepting of that, for as she pointed out no general could be trained without first learning from his elders. She was also the first to attempt to dissuade Superman from his foolhardy plan to give the child an order to test his allegience. So young they all were back then. So stupid, some of them. Superman’s order had been delivered whilst Bruce was occupied in the lab testing some obscure chemicals.

Go back to Gotham.

Idiot.

“No.”

“No?”

"No. I'm not going. You don't give me orders. I'm not loyal to you. I'm Robin. I work with Batman," he'd stated firmly. So strong, for an eleven year old. Bruce had been so proud of his boy. As Dick grew, they'd seen the way he'd break the rules or the plan, but how if Batman delivered orders in That Voice he garnered immediate obedience. After all, That Voice meant life-or-death, and Robin was sworn to protect first the world, then Gotham, then Batman, but most of all himself. All his Robins were so good, such bright lights against the black of his soul.

They didn’t need him anymore. 

He tried to feel the cobbles under his head, cold air nipping his cheeks, anything but the throb throb throb of broken bones and the agony in his chest. His sons, his beautiful wonderful sons, would be trainers and leaders and kings-among-men. Cass, lovely lovely Cass, his beloved, most like him of any – she would suffer, but she’d have Steph. Steph so smart, Steph so sweet. The two of them would handle anything thrown at them. Of course they would. All his children had so much strength in them, so much more than he did. Would they be there, to show him whatever is on the other side? His parents? Nothing, even – the dead who are dead and know nothing and nobody.

Sprawled like a rag doll. Bleeding out, broken heart. Broken body. The end? No. Head whirling like morphine or adrenaline or agony. Clark – he had to see Clark. If he got hurt, got put down, Clark had to know not to retaliate. He needed to – closure. That was the word? Case closed, closed like his throat and eyes and ears

Cold cobbles

Hard wind

Do not go gentle?

Dick, Jason, Tim, Cass Steph Damian ClarkAlfredMomDad  
Robin

Robin

Robin

Robin

Robin


End file.
